WEBVTT SPOKEWITH SGT. HOUCK'S FAMILY INPERRY HALL TODAY.KIM: SGT. ERIC HOUCK GRADUATEDFROM PERRY HALL HIGH SCHOOL.HE JOINED THE ARMY THREE YEARSAGO AND ROSE QUICKLY THROUGH THERANKS AND WAS SCHEDULED TO COMEHOME FROM HIS FIRST DEPLOYMENTNEXT MONTH.ERIC HOUCK WAS A FATHER,HUSBAND, BROTHER AND SON.>> HE WAS VERY COMPASSIONATE,CARING, WAS CONCERNED ABOUTPEOPLE, FOUGHT FOR THE UNDERDOG.JUST A TREMENDOUS YOUNG MAN.KIM HE WAS ALSO A SGT IN THEHE WAS ALSO A SGT IN THE ARMY,: STATIONED AT FORT CAMPBELL,NEARLY DONE WITH A 9 MONTHDEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN, WHENSATURDAY HE WAS KILLED, ALONGWITH TWO OTHER SOLDIERS,REPORTEDLY IN AN INSIDER ATTACK.>> HE IS A HERO.HE IS A HERO.HE WAS DEDICATED TO THAND THAT WAS HIS JOB, HE TOOKHIS JOB THE -- VERY SERIOUSLY.ROSE RAPIDLY THROUGH THE RANKSPROOF OF HIS DEDICATION TO HISAND JOB.HE FELT A NEED TO BE DEPLOYED TODO HIS JOB TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY.ERIC GREW UP IN NOTTINGHAM,KIMERIC GREW UP IN NOTTINGHAM,GRADUATED FROM PERRY HALL HIGH: SCHOOL, AND MARRIED HIS HIGHSCHOOL SWEETHEART.THEY HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD SONAND A THREE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.>> I CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW PROUD IAM AS A FATHER AS A HUMAN BEINGFIRST AND FOREMOST HE'S TREMENDOUS HE GREW UP TO BE A, TREMENDOUS HUMAN BEING.JUST A GREAT FATHER, LOVING SON,HUSBAND.KIM MIKE SAYS ERIC ALWAYS PUT: HIS FAMILY NOW HIS FAMILY ISFIRST, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOWTO GO ON WITHOUT HIM.>> EVERY SECOND YOU REALIZE THATIMPORTANT PERSON THAT YOU LOVEAND MISSED IS NEVER COMING BACKINTO YOUR LIFE.HE WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART, HE WILL ALWAYS BE IN MYTHOUGHTS.KIM THE HOUCK FAMILY IS HEADED: TO DOVER AIR FORCE BASETONIGHT WHERE SGT. ERICK HOUCK

A Maryland man who married his high school sweetheart and left for his first overseas deployment was one of three soldiers who were killed Saturday while serving in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed.

Houck's father, Mike Houck, said his son was a tremendous young man, a great father, husband, and son. "He is a hero."

"You realize that important person that you love is never coming back into your life. He'll always be in my heart. He'll always be in my thoughts," Mike Houck said.

Eric Houck grew up in Nottingham and graduated from Perry Hall High School. He married his high school sweetheart and had two kids, ages 5 and 3. Mike Houck said his son always put his family first.

"I've been proud of my son since the day he was born, but this, I mean, I can't describe how proud I am as a father, as a human being, first and foremost. He's a tremendous. He grew up to be a tremendous human being, just a great father, loving son, husband," Mike Houck said. "He was very compassionate, caring, and was concerned about people. He fought for the underdog. He was just a tremendous young man."

He joined the Army three years ago, and his father said he rose quickly through the ranks, receiving four promotions. This was his first deployment overseas and he was due to come home next month.

With plenty of troops still overseas, the Houck family has a message for every American.

"If you take just a couple minutes out of your day -- if you're religious, you pray -- if you put him in your thoughts, whatever you do, just think about those guys that are over there. Do you agree with the politics? Do you not agree with the politics? That does not matter. These young men are over there sacrificing everything for this country, regardless of your political beliefs. Take a few minutes and just think about them and their families," Mike Houck said.

The Army said Eric Houck was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

The soldiers were stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the Department of Defense said. The incident remains under investigation.

White House: Thoughts and prayers with families of the American heroes who were killed this weekend in Afghanistan. https://t.co/7fKHxwCYCR